Gordon Brown "Pushed Aide Out Of The Way" On Stairs Of No 10

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Gordon Brown's attempts to deny that he bullied staff were undermined last night as one of his closest aides revealed, in a tape-recorded conversation, how the Prime Minister pushed him aside on the stairs inside No 10.

Gordon Brown's attempts to deny that he bullied staff were undermined last night as one of his closest aides revealed, in a tape-recorded conversation, how the Prime Minister pushed him aside on the stairs inside No 10.

Revelations last weekend by the Observer's Andrew Rawnsley that Brown intimidated staff to such an extent that he had to be warned about his behaviour by the cabinet secretary, Sir Gus O'Donnell, have been rejected by Downing Street.

But the recording between journalist Suzie Mackenzie and Brown's senior foreign policy adviser, Stewart Wood – which is reported by the Mail on Sunday – substantiate Rawnsley's account.

The interview took place on 14 January over lunch in Westminster's Cinnamon Club restaurant. Mackenzie, who is writing an authorised biography of Brown, asked: "Did Gordon ever punch you?" Wood replied: "That's interesting. Gordon can be rude in a kind of routine way... As a team we too often say, 'That's just Gordon'. We all try to apologise for it."

Mackenzie then said: "Someone told me that he hit you once and you were very cross." Wood replied: "Did they tell you I ran into the toilet crying? I didn't… I did say, 'Bloody hell'. I was pretty shocked. I was standing at the top of the stairs at No 10. There was a reception for EU ambassadors and I was waiting... to say these are the three people you need to speak to. He was in a really bad mood. He walked up the stairs. And I leaned forward and he went, 'Outta my way!', and did that [Wood makes a sweeping gesture with his arm]. Then he walked off."

Mackenzie asked Wood if he was shocked. Wood replied: "Yeah, yeah, definitely. He's never punched me. He did push me aside... I was slightly shocked."

Wood suggests Brown's staff have had to put up with his tantrums for too long. "It has become more important since he's become prime minister because how you deal, as an individual, with human beings is… a core part of the job," Wood said.